If someone in the Solomon Islands was diagnosed with cancer a decade ago, it was thought to be a death sentence. Subscribe now for unlimited access . $ 0 / (min cost $ 0 ) Login or signup to continue reading Continue with Email Continue with Google Continue with Apple See subscription options The Pacific Island nation did not have an oncology unit, a medical oncologist or a CT machine.
There was no identifiable palliative care service either. All that has changed over recent years with a team from Canberra helping to set up the nation's first oncology unit. Senior haematologist Nalini Pati said it was "mind boggling" to see the services in the Solomon Islands.
"They think once a cancer is diagnosed, you're going to die. Even those cancers that can be treated and cured," he said. "Now they can actually cure patients.
" The first and only oncologist in the Solomon Islands, Andrew Soma, has recently completed his training with help from the team at Canberra Hospital. Dr Soma was able to train as a medical oncologist through distance education at a Melbourne university. He was a registrar working on a ward at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara and he wanted to become an oncologist.
He spent one month in Canberra as part of his training. There were also nurses who came to the nation's capital for training. Canberra Hospital oncologist Desmond Yip, palliative care nurse practitioner Kate Reed and haematologist Nalini Pati.
Picture by Elesa Kurtz Dr Soma qualified as an oncolo.